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Drugging Children
As you know, the future success of our world is in the hands of our children. Our long-term success depends on the next generation. So why do we allow so many children to be drugged?
Drug companies do all they can to get parents, teachers and doctors to prescribe their drugs for children with short-attention spans, the inability to sit still, aggressiveness, nervousness and low self-esteem. Their efforts are paying off for them.
Psychotropics are drugs designed to treat mental "diseases" like ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). In 1990, these drugs were used by about one million American children. Today, that number is getting close to six million children; one in eight kids!
Side effects of these prescription drugs include: depression, hallucinations, suicide, reduced growth, abnormal brain development and addiction.
Critics blame psychotropic drugs for school shootings, increased cocaine usage and heart problems.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency sees a problem with these drugs. It reported, "Students are giving and selling their medication to classmates who are crushing and snorting the powder like cocaine."
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration found suicides and suicidal thoughts increase with these drugs and now requires the bottles to include warnings about suicide on their labels.
Worst of all, children are rarely taken off of these drugs. Once the child starts, he or she will probably be taking a psychotropic drug for life. A drug company's dream come true.
If you do a quick search for Ritalin alternatives on the Internet, you will find less destructive solutions.
Drug-free Solutions
1. More exercise. Children find they think more clearly and get school work done in half the time if they vigorously exercise that same day. Organized sports like soccer is an excellent way to get kids to exercise.
2. Less sugar. Many ADHD symptoms are also the symptoms of too much sugar. Parents who reduce or eliminate foods with sugar may have to endure a few days of cravings and demands for candy. But they are rewarded with calmer, more stable children.
3. Fewer hours of television and video games. For example, a doctor's 8-year-old son received a Nintendo set for Christmas. He loved the game and played it daily. Within a week, the boy was hitting his sister, disobeying his parents and throwing tantrums. As soon as the Nintendo game was in the garbage can, the son returned to his normal, cheerful self.
4. More time reading with children and helping them with their school work. You help them think better.
5. Arrange for a safer environment at home or school with fewer arguments, conflicts or criticism. Just like adults become depressed or upset by bullies and antisocial persons, so do children. Forcing a child to live in an environment that feels dangerous to the child is destructive.
6. A complete medical examination may find the real problem. For example, ADHD symptoms can be caused by ear infection, constant pain, hearing problems, vision problems and other physical problems.
7. Eliminate foods that cause allergies. Richard E. Layton, MD, writes, "Children who exhibit certain behavioral difficulties may actually be experiencing allergies which can be controlled and even eliminated through several safe and effective treatments resulting in a happier, healthier life." In another study, medical researcher J. Eggar, MD reported that eliminating foods that cause allergic reactions reduces hyperactivity by 81%.
Why You Cannot Mold a Child
Even with the above solutions, children may show ADHD symptoms because of their parents. L. Ron Hubbard describes an important factor in raising kids.
"Children are not dogs. They can't be trained like dogs are trained. They are not controllable items."
"How would you like to be pulled and hauled and ordered about and restrained from doing whatever you wanted to do? You'd resent it. The only reason a child doesn't resent it is because he's small."
"You'd half murder somebody who treated you, an adult, with the orders, contradiction and disrespect given to the average child. The child doesn't strike back because he isn't big enough. He gets your floor muddy, interrupts your nap, destroys the peace of the home instead."
"This revolt can be intensified until he is a terror to have around. He will be noisy, thoughtless, careless of possessions, unclean -- anything, in short which will annoy you."
"Permit a child to sit on your lap. He'll sit there, contented. Now put your arms around him and constrain him to sit there. Do this even though he wasn't even trying to leave. Instantly, he'll squirm. He'll fight to get away from you. He'll get angry. He'll cry. Recall now, he was happy before you started to hold him. (You should actually make this experiment.)"
"Your efforts to mold, train, control this child in general react on him exactly like trying to hold him on your lap."
"Of course you will have a difficulty if this child of yours has already been trained, controlled, ordered about, denied his own possessions."
"You try to give him his freedom. He's so suspicious of you, he will have a difficult time trying to adjust. The transition period will be terrible. But at the end of it you'll have a well-ordered, well-trained, sociable child, thoughtful of you and, very important to you, a child who loves you." -- L. Ron Hubbard
The Best Therapy
Fortunately, the best way to help a child with ADHD symptoms is free, easy and enjoyable.
"A good, stable adult with love and tolerance in his heart is about the best therapy a child can have." -- L. Ron Hubbard
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